Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 March 2006
11 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, in view of the warning from St. Columcille’s Hospital, Ireland’s only obesity clinic, that 500 people are on waiting lists and that it is estimated 30 people will die while on the waiting lists, the steps she will take to aid St. Columcille’s Hospital; the measures which will be taken to combat obesity here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8548/06]
View answerThe report of the national task force on obesity, Obesity — the Policy Challenges, was presented to the Taoiseach in May 2005. The report contains 93 recommendations aimed at tackling overweight and obesity. These relate to actions across six broad sectors: high level government; education; social and community; health; food, commodities, production and supply; and the physical environment. Additional funding of €3 million has been made available to the Health Service Executive to support the implementation of the report's recommendations. The strategic planning and reform implementation of the HSE have approved the following projects to take place this year: expanding the healthy food made easy programme, recruiting four physical activity officers to target obesity in all settings, providing four specialist community dietician posts for obesity and weight management to support all initiatives, the procurement of equipment for growth monitoring and further progress work with the food service sector on healthy food provision. The HSE has confirmed that additional resources will be allocated to obesity services in St. Columcille's Hospital during 2006. In 2006, the executive will spend approximately €25 million on health promotion, of which approximately €5 million per annum will be spent on measures to prevent obesity. In addition, much of the work of hospital and community dieticians is concerned with the treatment of obesity.
I thank the Minister of State for his reply but he did not address my concerns about the obesity clinic in St. Columcille's Hospital. I presume he has read the statement on his Department's website that 2,500 deaths per year are caused by obesity while a total of 30 people on waiting lists to access treatment die annually. The most recent figure for the waiting list for the obesity clinic in St. Columcille's Hospital is 500. The Minister of State glided over information I sought. Food campaigns are all very well but I asked about a specific obesity clinic and he has replied that the HSE will provide resources. How much? When? In what form?
In recognising the seriousness of the obesity problem, we established a task force——
I asked about St. Columcille's Hospital. I do not want a lecture about the obesity task force.
The Deputy is the expert on lecturing in the House. She has asked a question and, if she will allow me, I will answer. In recognising the seriousness of the problem, we put in place a task force. It reported last May and, at the end of the year, I announced that, apart from the normal expenditure on obesity programmes, I would provide an additional €3 million to tackle the obesity problem. St. Columcille's Hospital will get some of this money. I cannot give the Deputy a breakdown of how the money will be spent but I will make inquiries and come back to her.
The task force report contained 93 recommendations, of which 24 relate to the health service. Many other areas——
How many have been implemented?
We are implementing a number of them. A number of initiatives were in place and we are expanding them. We will also implement other initiatives during the year. The provision of an additional €3 million demonstrates how serious we are about tackling the problem.
The Minister of State promised he would answer the questions I asked and he has not done so. He stated in his original reply that resources would be invested in St. Columcille's Hospital. How much and for what purpose?
I do not normally like repeating myself but if it is necessary, I will do so. The Department has provided an additional €3 million to support the implementation of the recommendations in the task force report.
What about treatment?
Some of the money will be used in St. Columcille's Hospital. I do not have the breakdown of how that money will be used but, as soon as I have the information, I will forward it to the Deputy.
I thank the Minister of State.
I would love to move on the next question, which addresses the €40 million spent on the development plan for the Mater Misericordiae Hospital before it was terminated but I must refer to this issue. There was a significant row earlier about the poor quality of replies to parliamentary questions referred to the HSE. It is a cause of huge concern for Opposition Members. This question is clear. What steps will be taken to aid St. Columcille's Hospital? I am surprised the Minister of State would come into the House and tell Deputy McManus that he will reply to her question at a later date. This is Question No. 11, not No. 44, and it is not as if for some reason we have failed to reach it. I expect an answer regarding how much the hospital will receive or whether it will be given an extra dietician or consultant or more junior doctors. That information should have been provided.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
